Megge of Bury Down

Rebecca Kightlinger

Jan 2018 · Zumaya Arcane

About this ebook

Murderer!

When six-year-old Megge first touches the ancient Book of Seasons, a mysterious voice accuses her of an ugly crime. Although the book is her legacy, she refuses to touch it again. If she does, she is certain she will be the death of those she loves.

But seven years later, events conspire to force her to once again to accept her responsibility. If she refuses to take up the task, who will ensure the Book’s ancient wisdom survives, safe from the hands of those who would use it for evil?

Ratings and reviews

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook via NetGalley. In this unusual book, we meet Megge, a 6-year old girl born into a gifted family of healers with paranormal talents. Megge, frightened by powers she doesn't fully understand, has refused her place among these unusual women, unknowingly placing their future in grave danger. Megge is our narrator as we join her in her struggle to come to terms with who and what she and her family are, as well as their place in a community that both needs them and fears them. The author weaves a spell of her own as the story contains multiple subplots as we learn the family's history. Unfortunately, the pacing of the story suffers as a result, with the plot unfolding very slowly throughout the beginning and middle of the book, then rushing to a conclusion that unfolds almost too quickly. While much is revealed about the other characters, at the end of the novel, I felt that I still knew very little about Megge herself in comparison. Witchcraft is a major focus of this book, so be forewarned that suspension of belief is a must for enjoying this book. While I did not especially like this book, I think fans of fantasy and coming of age / young adult fiction would be interested in this series.

About the author

 Rebecca Kightlinger holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast MFA program. Megge of Bury Down, Book One of  the historical fantasy series The Bury Down Chronicles, is her debut novel. 

A member of the National Book Critics Circle, Kightlinger is a book reviewer for the Historical Novels Review, a submissions reader for the New England Review, and a reader and copy editor for the Stonecoast Review.

In her twenty years of medical practice as an obstetrician-gynecologist, Kightlinger was privileged to care for the women of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Guyana. A lifetime Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, she is also a member of the American Association for the History of Medicine and studies ancient medicine, medieval midwifery, and the manuscripts and arts of the mystical healer.

She lives in northwestern Pennsylvania with her husband, three comical dogs, three elegant cats, and a charming little rooster named Ollie.